1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to selectively exchanging data between peer-to-peer (P2P)-capable client devices via a server.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wireless communication systems have developed through various generations, including a first-generation analog wireless phone service (1G), a second-generation (2G) digital wireless phone service (including interim 2.5G and 2.75G networks), a third-generation (3G) high speed data, Internet-capable wireless service and a fourth-generation (4G) service (e.g., Long-Term Evolution (LTE) or WiMax). There are presently many different types of wireless communication systems in use, including Cellular and Personal Communications Service (PCS) systems. Examples of known cellular systems include the cellular Analog Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS), and digital cellular systems based on Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), the Global System for Mobile access (GSM) variation of TDMA, etc.
Often, there is a business need for one client device to quickly exchange data (e.g., media, information or files, etc.) with other client device(s) in a “formal” way (e.g., as opposed to an “informal” peer-to-peer (P2P) exchange). However, such exchanges typically require the client device to acquire personal contact information (e.g., a unique user address at which a user can be contacted such as an email address, phone number, Skype Username, Facebook ID, LinkedIn ID, or a unique network address at which an associated UE can be contacted via a network such as a MAC ID, phone number, etc.). For example, assume that at a business luncheon attended by a small group of people, a luncheon participant takes a group photo and wants to share the group photo with each other attendee of the group luncheon. In this case, it is probably not practical for the luncheon participant to obtain the personal contact information of each other attendee. In another example, assume that a marketing person wants to hand out a digital information brochure to conference attendees. In this case, recipients of the digital information brochure may not want to browse the digital information brochure without divulging any personal contact information to the marketing person. Also, certain transactions can occur via P2P protocols specifically to avoid a formal record by their respective operators. For example, criminals may wish to exchange data files via P2P without form records of the data transfer being recorded.